


I Am The Blank Page Before You

by dvorahbee



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Meet-Cute, Slow Build, lots of cursing if that's not your thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-07 07:14:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17361416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dvorahbee/pseuds/dvorahbee
Summary: “Also, it’s a classic, you can’t insult classics.”“Who the fuck said that? Classics are just that because they’re established by a snob, highbrow society who wants us to be all the same,” Isak scoffed.“Look at you, being a rebel and all,” Even poked his arm, laughing.“Shut up,” Isak blushed.Just another college AU full of cute and fluff.





	1. Ravishing. Handsome. Cool.

**8:43**

 

Isak got on the tram. Eyes on his phone, hood over his head and shoulders hunched. Eskild had had to wake him up again this morning and he only had got thirty minutes to get up and get ready. He hadn’t even got the time to drink his coffee. Mornings had always sucked as far as he was concerned, but this particular morning sucked even more.

He quickly looked around and saw that there were a few rare free seats. Once sat, he read Jonas’s text again.

 

**_Pre-game at mine tonight?_ **

 

Isak sighed. He didn’t feel like drinking, going out and socialize. Faking that everything was fine and dandy. He should have been used to it by now, but every time he faked a smile, a “I’m fine”, and a “yeah, she’s hot”, it felt like it took a bit of his sanity. It was exhausting, and yet he still slept like shit. Or, barely slept.

He sighed again and taped an answer on his phone.

 

 _I_ _’ll see._

 

That ought to buy him some time to breathe and prepare himself for the boys incessant questioning about why he wasn’t as excited as them to hook up with hot girls, left and right. Well, he just fucking _wasn’t_.

He was still having an internal debate in his head, looking at his phone without seeing it, when he saw, and felt, something, a foot, bump against his left foot. Isak                looked up and saw the foot’s owner was the guy sitting in the seat opposite his. The guy was smiling at him. Which…was weird. But Isak didn’t dwell on it for too long because the guy was, well, he was fucking breath-taking. And Isak wasn’t _gay_ , okay? But he could recognise when someone was that beautiful. And that guy was. Okay, yes, maybe he was a _little_ gay.

He looked about Isak’s age, maybe a bit older. He had this fluffy blonde quiff on his head which looked rather soft. His eyes looked gentle, like his smile and they were blue, _so_ blue. Isak realised he had been staring for too long a bit too late and didn’t even respond the stranger’s smile, he looked down quickly. When he felt his cheeks heat up slightly he quickly stood up and walked along the tram to distance himself from humiliation, even if there were a few stops to go before his.

When he finally got out of the tram, he didn’t look back even if, deep, deep down, he wanted to. He put his earbuds in his ears, pressed play on some N.W.A song and walked towards uni. He stopped when he saw his friends waiting for him in front of the Kaffebrenneriet nearest UiO. He knew they were going to ask again about the pre-game and some party, he had to mentally prepare himself. He stood straight and walked into the lions’ den.

 

 

 

**22:38**

It went relatively well, considering the boys’ enthusiasm for parties and girls. In the end, he agreed to come to the pre-game. So that is how he ended up at Jonas’s dorm living room that evening.

The boys were nicely buzzed and were apparently going to go to another dorm party. Jonas had said that the host, another first-year girl, was going to be all over Isak, for some reason. Meanwhile, Isak had just grimaced in his beer can. Couldn’t they, just once, go to a fucking party without needing to hook up with every girl there?

Apparently not. They all had dressed as nicely as they could, Jonas was even wearing a real fancy shirt. Isak had put on a button-down shirt, only after the boys had fussed over his first choice of outfit. In any case, he had kept the red snap-back on his head. Whoever that first-year girl was, Isak had no intention to try and hook up with her, but he had to keep a certain facade for his friends, and for the crowd that would be there.

Once they arrived there, Isak grabbed a beer and looked for a place he could lay low where the boys wouldn’t be nagging at him. He’d learn over the last few years that it was useless to try and stay with Jonas, even when he was together with Eva, they used to sneak out after five minutes. Now, he, Magnus, and Mahdi always were on the watch for some girls they could chat up.

There had to be a free bathroom somewhere in there. Isak had started walking in random directions in search of just that when someone grabbed his arm. He resisted the urge to flinch away from the contact and turned around. A pixie-cut brunette girl was standing in front of him, a hand on his arm.

“Hey, Isak!” The girl exclaimed, trying not to shout over the music but having to anyway. She didn’t even wait for his answer. “I’m Emma, this is my house,” she smiled. An objectively sweet smile. “I’m glad you could come.” When he frowned, she laughed. “Oh, yes, I might have stalked you a little bit. I was the one who invited your friends. I saw you around school and was hoping you’d come.”

“Oh. Right,” Isak said, noncommittally.

“Do you want to have a drink with me?” Emma asked, her hand _still_ on his arm.

Isak looked around, panicking. No, he did not want that. _At all_. She looked chatty and needy, and her touch was making Isak want to jump out of his skin. He saw someone walk out of a room that looked a lot like a bathroom and took his chance for what it was.

“Er, no, thanks, I already have one, I’m, I’m going to go to the bathroom for a quick second,” Isak said, almost wrenching his arm away. He added, to soften the blow, “maybe later.”

“Oh, okay, yeah, definitely! Come and find me, then,” She exclaimed as she walked away.

Isak almost ran to the open door and closed it almost too violently. He breathed a sigh of relief, put his beer down and sat down the tub. Maybe, if he stayed here long enough, Emma would think he left. Maybe he should leave? No, no, Jonas and the boys would text him, he had to wait a bit more.

All of a sudden, the door opened, and the tram guy appeared. Isak almost choked on his own spit. He was sporting a similar small smile he had in the tram this morning and looked as ravishing as ever. Er, handsome. _No_ , cool. Yeah, he looked _cool_.

“Can I?” The guy asked, gesturing to the tub.

It took a minute for Isak to stop gaping and start nodding.

The guy came in and closed the door behind him. He leaned back on the door and looked at Isak.

“You’re the guy from the tram, right?” He asked.

“Er, I guess?”

“From this morning, yeah,” the guy smiled a bit more broadly and Isak died a little bit. He really needed to get a fucking grip. He didn’t wait for Isak to answer, walked to the bathtub and sat down next to Isak. “I’m Even.”

“Erm, Isak,” Isak mumbled, still wondering what the hell the guy was doing here.

“Nice to meet you, Isak,” Even smiled. “I thought I could find you here after you got harpooned by that girl.”

“You saw that?” Isak cringed, looking down his lap.

“Yeah, you looked like you were about two seconds away from cutting your arm off,” Even laughed.

“I probably was,” Isak scoffed.

He heard Even laugh lightly. Isak felt aware of everything. How he was hunched over himself, how he felt inadequately tall in the small tub, how close Even was, how even taller the boy was and didn’t look one bit uncomfortable in the too small tub.

“Perfect,” He heard Even exclaim.

“What is?”

“This song, perfect atmosphere.”

Isak listened for a few seconds and recognised Dr Dre. Before he could ask the boy what the atmosphere was perfect for, he looked at him and saw him holding a joint, grinning, his eyes shining.

Isak smiled and nodded.

 

 

That’s how, a long while later, they found themselves, high and almost laying in the bathtub.

“Seriously?” Even laughed, incredulous.

“Why would I watch a snob reproduction of a shitty play?” Isak asked the ceiling.

“Excuse me, what do you call snob and shitty?”

“ _Romeo and Juliet_ is a shit play. Firstly, they’re both, like, 14 years old or something, what the fuck. Secondly, they both die at the end, it’s not even beautiful, it’s tragic, they killed themselves for love, what kind of fucked up kid have you got to be to do that?! Thirdly, even if the story was somewhat good, the old English is not fucking understandable. And fourth, er, I don’t have a fourth point,” Isak giggled.

“It’s not fucked up, it’s romantically tragic,” Even said in a whisper. Isak looked at him with raised eyebrows. The tall boy had a strange look on his face, but it left as fast as it had come. “Also, it’s a classic, you can’t insult classics.”

“Who the fuck said that? Classics are just that because they’re established by a snob, highbrow society who wants us to be all the same,” Isak scoffed.

“Look at you, being a rebel and all,” Even poked his arm, laughing.

“Shut up,” Isak blushed.

“No, but seriously. The cinematic version by Baz Luhrmann is a poetic masterpiece. You should watch it, if not for the masterpiece, for young Leonardo Dicaprio,” Even smirked.

“I don’t see the appeal, so far,” Isak looked back up at the ceiling, his throat tight.

“Just you wait.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

After a few seconds, Even laughed quietly.

“Maybe okay will be-”

“Don’t you dare,” Isak glared at him while Even laughed harder. “I swear, does it get you off to watch crappy tragic films?”

“Oh no, something simpler than that can get me off,” Even smirked, looking at him, his eyes burning in Isak’s green ones.

Isak blushed furiously at what Even was insinuating. But, before he could even try to find a comeback, Mahdi barged in.

“Dude, where have you been?”

“Right here,” Isak said, realising his and Even’s position as he tried to sit straighter. Ah. _Funny_.

“Jonas left with a third-year and Magnus is smashed, bro. We need to leave. Can we stay at yours?” Mahdi said.

“Er, yeah, I guess Eskild would be okay with that if I text him first,” Isak said as he fished for his phone.

“Yeah, alright, tell your boyfriend, we’ll wait for you outside,” Mahdi snickered.

Isak’s eyes widened. The gay jokes were getting old and seriously pissed him off. He sighed, got out of the bathtub and started typing on his phone, realising that Even had also stood up.

“So,” Even started. Isak kept his eyes on his phone. “You’ve got a boyfriend, then?”

Isak chocked on nothing.

“What?!”

“That’s what your friend said, I assumed-”

“Don’t assume. I don’t have, I don’t, _no_ ,” Isak stammered. Even held his hands up in defense. “Anyway, I need to go.”

“Right, I’ll see you on the tram,” Even smiled.

“Yeah,” Isak breathed out and left.


	2. En route to getting a grip.

**MONDAY 8:48**

 

Isak watched the tram arrive at his stop with a certain apprehension.

Although Even had told him he’d see him on the tram, he wasn’t sure if he had meant every day or, like, just Fridays, or something. Isak shook his head. This wasn’t rocket science. He would get in and stay standing. If Even was there, and still wanted to talk to him, he would come.

_En route to getting a grip_.

And that was exactly what he did, once on the tram. He stood up next to the doors and focused on his grip on the tram metallic bar, the coldness of it under his fingers. That worked for the whole way. Almost.

The tram was one stop away from his when Isak decided that, _fuck it_ , if he wanted to have a casual look around the tram, it was now or never. He just wanted to see if Even was here, had seen him but had stayed put, or, if he even _was_ there.

Isak looked up and glanced around the tram car. No tall, cool guy in sight. He felt conflicted. He didn’t know if he was feeling more relieved or disappointed. Both. Either.

Maybe Even took this tram only on Fridays. Isak only had early classes on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. So, if Mondays were out, there remained only two mornings to have the opportunity to see Even.

It didn’t matter right now. His internal conflict and thought process had almost made him miss his stop. He apparently really needed to get back on the “get a grip” road. He decided that the best way he could do that was by swinging by KB. He _did_ need a cup of coffee to go with his morning classes. How the professors expected the students to be focused and alert at 9:30 in the morning was beyond him.

He typed a quick text to Sana, asking her if she wanted a coffee as well for their class, as he started queuing. Sana texted back a negative so Isak pushed his phone back into his jeans pocket and took some money out of his backpack.

He looked up and immediately recognised the blonde quiff just in front of him in the queue. _Shit_.

Should he say hello? If he didn’t and Even turned around he would think Isak was rude for not saying hello and- _okay_ , he needed to stop thinking for a second.

He tapped on Even’s right shoulder.

The tall boy turned around and smiled at him.

“Oh, hey!” He exclaimed. “In need of a coffee?”

“Yeah.”

“You look like you need it,” Even laughed as Isak glared at him. “Not a morning person, then?”

“No, mornings are made for sleeping,” Isak grumbled.

“Mornings are when I’m usually the most efficient,” Even said, matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, you do look like you wouldn’t need a coffee at all.”

“I’m actually here for some chaï tea, I even walked here,” Even grinned.

“You would,” Isak rolled his eyes and then froze, realising that that was the type of behaviour he would have with his friends, people he’d known for years, not a guy he’d met two days before. In any case, him freaking out about offending Even was out of the window in a flash when the boy kept grinning.

“What does that even mean?”

“You’re most definitely a movie snob. Drinking a kind of tea that is literally called “tea tea” would be your thing. It’s like you’re the embodiment of hipster culture.”

By the end of Isak’s sentence, Even was laughing openly, his eyes were squinting happily and, well, it was a _sight_. He looked like the sun. Or some shit like that.

“How dare you?” Even put a hand on his heart, faking offence. “My tea-tea brings all the boys to the yard.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re ridiculous,” Isak laughed.

Even turned back around when it was his turn to order his drink and paid. While Isak ordered – black coffee, of course – he saw that Even had his drink in hand and was waiting for him.

Isak mumbled as he put his change back into his pocket and waited for his drink, “You can go, if you have class.”

“I actually don’t have class until 10,” Even told him.

“Oh. Then what are you doing here?”

“I can go, if you want,” Even laughed.

“No, I- I mean, why are you here when you could still be sleeping?” Isak rushed to say. _Jesus_ , he really was stepping in it. 

“I need to finish up a paper for my class,” Even shrugged. “And I do like their tea, here. You know, you, um, you could join me for a while, if you wanted to, I mean?” Even said, seemingly nervous, about what, Isak had no idea.

He had never mentally kicked himself so hard for having taken an early class on Monday as he did at that moment.

“Shit, I, I can’t. I have a class at 9:30 on the far end of campus, in the science building,” Isak grimaced. He really wanted to stay here, with Even, even if Isak felt awkward and moody, it still seemed infinitely better than having class right now.

“No, yeah, okay of course, another time,” Even said, but his smile had dimmed a bit. Isak smiled back, hoping to convey that he did want to stay here but didn’t have a choice.

He started to walk towards the doors when Even called his name. He turned around and saw that Even had got up and was walking in his direction. Once he reached him, he held his right hand, palm up, to Isak.

“Give me your phone, Isak” the tall boy said.

“Uh, okay?”

“There,” Even typed quickly then gave him his phone back. “Now you have my number. I texted myself to have yours, so next time we can get a proper coffee,” He said, looking down for a second.

Isak flushed but took his phone.

“Alright,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Bye, Even.”

“Bye, Isak.”

Even’s big smile made something in his stomach churn. Boy, was he in deep shit.

 

 

 

**WEDNESDAY 19:21**

 

When Isak had to study at home, someone was usually there, making some sort of noise, (if it wasn’t Eskild having sex to some Disney soundtrack playing too loudly), and his brain was usually in scramble, trying to focus on too many things at once and overthinking everything, and his bed was also usually _right there_ , calling for him. The solution had always been to try and study elsewhere and Isak _did_ love studying at the library. It always made him feel calm and quiet inside. 

The library helped him get shit done. Sometimes, Sana would come with, sometimes, it would be Jonas, but Jonas, being who he was, preferred studying while smoking weed, which was obviously contrary with the library environment. So, he usually studied alone. He was easily distracted. Too easily, one would say.

Which was what was happening right at the moment. His phone buzzed on the desk and Isak abandoned his work in a millisecond. His essay wasn’t due for another week, whatever.

His heart beat a little bit faster when he saw it was from Even. Calm down, Jesus, you’re not 12 years old. Right.

 

**_Do you ever think that the rain has a deeper meaning than the biological and physical reasons?_ **

 

_Wrong person to ask._ Isak texted back.

 

**_Why?_ **

 

_Studying biology, remember?_ Isak put his phone down on the desk. He really ought to focus but the prospect of having a conversation with Even, even through texts, sounded way more appealing than his essay.

 

**_Right. Science nerd. But you never think about it?_ **

 

_Not about biologically-provoked events, no._

Isak looked out of the window as he hit send. He did like these types of conversation. No one would think so by looking at his jeans and snapbacks, but he really _did_ like talking about deep shit. Whenever he and Jonas would get high, and Jonas wouldn’t talk about capitalism and communism, they would talk about the universe and people in their lives and the reason behind everything, and, yeah, they both liked those conversations.

Isak looked outside the library window and saw that it was raining, and _that_ must have been what had triggered the first text. _Are you thinking about a deeper meaning for the rain instead of studying?_

 

**_Busted :p_** Even texted back. **_I have to finish writing a case study analysis and it’s so boring :(_**

 

_Are you one of those people who overuse emojis?_

 

**_Are you one of those people who don’t use them at all?_ **

 

_How did you guess?_

 

**_Just a hunch._ **

 

_A modern-day Sherlock Holmes._ Isak texted back, smiling _._

 

**_;) :) :p_ **

 

_Ew._

 

**_Buzzkill_ **

 

_Yep._

 

**_What is Buzzkill doing right now?_** Even texted.

 

_Studying at the library._

 

**_Isn’t the library closing at 20:00?_ **

 

_That would be why I’m still there._ Isak sent back and sighed. He actually should leave; the library would close soon, and he wouldn’t be able to study any more with the promise of a longer conversation with Even. _I’m leaving, anyway._

 

**_Atta boy ; )_ **

 

_Shut up._ Isak typed as he blushed.

 

Stupid, really. There was nothing to blush about. This was a normal text conversation between two guys. Two _dudes_. Two _bros_. Isak grimaced as his jumble of thoughts. He was getting off the "getting a grip" road.

He’d packed all of his stuff back into his backpack when his phone buzzed again. He tried to tame down the disappointment he felt when he saw that it was a text from Jonas.

 

**_You still at the library?_ **

 

_Nah, leaving now._

 

**_Come by my dorm? I’ll order some kebab_ **

 

_K._

 

 

**20:13**

 

He rang the buzzer for Jonas’s dorm flat. There were four flats in each building, and each flat had four to five roommates. Jonas had three other roommates but Isak had never met them, until now. Once he’d climbed up the first flight of stairs the door open to the flat and a guy appeared, long-ish hair, slightly brown skin.

“I’m not your doorman, dude,” the guy was saying, rather loudly to his back, and smiling. He turned his head to the open door and saw Isak. “Hey, you’re Isak, right?”

“Yeah,” Isak nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“I’m Mikael, Jonas’s roommate. Well, one of them. Come in, Jonas just got out of the shower,” Mikael kept smiling.

“Cool, thanks,” Isak said as he came in. The living room was a bit messier than when he’d first came here, but he didn’t think all the roommates had been there back then.

“I’ve ordered a lot of shit,” Jonas announced as he arrived in the room, clapping his hand to Isak's. “I hope you’re hungry,” he told him, grinning.

“Always am, especially after studying,” Isak said, and it was true, he was starving.

“Will there be some for me?” Mikael pouted at Jonas, whose cheeks turned slightly red.

Uh. Wasn’t _that_ interesting.

“Er sure, but I don’t think there’ll be more than for the three of us,” Jonas said as checked his phone.

“That’s fine,” Mikael shrugged. “Mutta and Adam are at Even’s so they’ll probably eat there.”

Isak’s head snapped up so fast he almost got whiplash.

“Even?” He asked, eyes a bit too wide, resisting teh urge to check his phone for any texts from the tall blonde boy.

“Yeah, one of my best friends. He was too good for uni dorms, so he lives in his own tiny flat,” Mikael laughed fondly.

“Oh.” Isak held his phone tightly in his hand.

 

The chances of Mikael’s Even to be his Even - well, um not _his_ Even, but the Even _he_ knew - were…slim, at best, weren't they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fun little one.
> 
> Although I haven't written in a long while (before this story), I hope this is still somewhat enjoyable. Mistakes are my own.
> 
> Thank you for the love and comments, tell me what you think about this one (and about "my tea-tea brings all the boys to the years" haha) <3
> 
> (btw, bold texts are from other people, italic texts are from Isak, thought this would be easier to read)

**Author's Note:**

> Long time no see, y'all!
> 
> I'm writing a fun little college AU because I need a distraction from life. It's nothing revolutionary or new, it's just fun and cute and I needed something simple. Mistakes are my own as English is not my native language and I proofread myself, sorry about them. Title is from the London Grammar song, "Stay Awake".
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this fun little one, please tell me what you think so far <3


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